9/12
I live near a major cruising place - Highway 100. It is bad enough that it is against the law to pass a checkpoint three times within two hours during prime cruising time.
So last year, 9/12, the yahoos (and I use the term in the strict, original definition, based on the noises they make) were charging up and down 100 holding big flags out the windows of their oversized machines, sending money to the culprits.
I've never been comfortable around ostentateous flag waving. And that sight just turned my stomach.
When the flag is displayed with dignity and grace, that is an excellent thing. And not one I've seen much of in the last year.
Patriotism is a deep and critical relationship. What I've been seeing is a fling with a cheap floozie in red and a couple of other colors.
I've been tempted to answer the "these colors don't run" bumper sticker with "but if you leave cheaply printed versions out it the sun for too long, they fade and look grungy."
